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Palisade’s Krueger top A.D. in Colorado

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He’s been a coach, a counselor and a teacher, and now Mike Krueger can say he’s the 2012 Colorado Athletic Director of the Year.

Krueger, 44, has been Palisade High’s athletic director for six years.

“It really goes beyond sports,” Krueger said. “I’m surrounded by great people from by secretary to my administration team — they’re absolutely the best and my coaching staff is great.”

For the past 21 years, Krueger has worked for the Mesa County Valley School District 51.

He began as a student assistant coach at Mesa State from 1987-1990 before stints at Grand Junction High and Palisade, where he was, at various times, a boys basketball coach, assistant football coach, softball coach and baseball coach. He coached and taught at Palisade from 1996-2005.

Krueger also is on the CADA’s board of directors and is a member of CHSAA’s football legislative council and baseball seeding committee.

“I couldn’t be more proud,” Krueger said. “I feel like it’s a great representation for everybody at Palisade and on the Western Slope.”